Dust
by Pronzo
Summary: Rumors of horrible human experiments and deadly wasteland beast haunt his life.Living as a underage taxi driver,Ichigo Kurosakis life seems to be worthless that is until a certain stranger turns his world upside down and drags him into the center of a war
1. Life as Usual

**AN: Hey guys! Pronzo here. After a long and needed break from writing I'm back. Anyways my updates will be when I feel like it for this story which will hopefully be almost every week or two. Any confusing details in the story will be explained at the end of each chapter. By the way I just re-edited this chapter after having written it at 3:00 am, I noticed alot of typing errors anf grammer issues the following day. This story takes place in the year of 2577.**

**None of the bleach characters belong to me. They belong to the master genius that their creator "Tite Kubo" is.**

**Life as Usual**

* * *

Screeching tires and horns blared back and forth; drivers got out of their cars and began cursing each other out. Babies began to cry followed by the voices of petulant children complaining about the noise.

Ichigo shifted uncomfortably in his seat, basically pounding the steering wheel in front of him. Hell he was surprised that the air bag didn't deploy. A scowl was present on his face with his orange bangs slightly hovering over his eyes.

"For the love of-" He opened the car door and step out of the vehicle to see what was causing such a bad jam up ahead. Bright red and blue lights shone from the distance, while sirens echoed. Ichigo pinched the top of his nose and already knew there must've been a terrible accident. He bit his lip and stepped back into the car with the increasingly impatient passenger waiting in the back.

"I really need to be somewhere!" Ichigo tried to block out the complaints but was unsuccessful. He turned around then clutched the shift stick. The car jerked as Ichigo shifted it into reverse. The passenger in the back instantly became still.

"W-what are you do-"they didn't even have time to finish their sentence

Ichigo's foot slammed down on the gas pedal as his yellow cab went flying backwards. Drivers of other cars jumped out of the way as his cab zoomed past them, followed by more enraged screaming and cursing. The passenger began screaming as Ichigo swerved in a 90 degree turn and yanked the stick shift forward into drive. A smirk crept upon his face as he raced down the speed way.

* * *

As he came to a stop at the address of the passenger's request, the passenger ripped off his seat belt and basically flew out of the vehicle onto the sidewalk; clawing at the ground as if his life depended on it. Ichigo rolled his eyes then looked at the price on the screen to his side. He rolled down the window then poked his head out, looking down at the recovering figure below

"That will be $22.50 please." The passenger looked up at Ichigo and fumed.

"Up yours asshole!" And ran across the street through incoming traffic; making cars swerve around him.

Ichigo ran his hand through his orange mane and rested his head on the back seat of his chair releasing a giant, stressful sigh.

"Figures…" he huffed then made his way back to his pick up spot, regretting that, that $22.50 was going to come out of his already diminished paycheck.

* * *

"YOU DID WHAT?" Ichigo sat with a emotionless expression on his face, his brow forward and his eyes looking off into the distance as a brown-skinned purple haired demon paced about the room in front of him. She folded her arms infront of her over-developed chest and shook her head.

"Money's getting tight Ichigo, I can't keep having runaways get away, even from you!" She turned to glare at him but noticed his attention was elsewhere.

"Hey! Kurosaki! Are you even fucking listening to me?" Ichigo's pupils dilated, then blinked as he turned to face the voice's owner. A thin wave of air charged forward at his face and he knew it was already too late. Blood dripped from his nose as he held it tight between his hands. A look of fury and rage present on his face directed at the smiling female.

"GAHH! What the hell was that for Yoruichi?" She walked past him, ignoring his question and turned abruptly around in a swift motion.

"Next time a passenger does that, make sure you beat him to a pulp, rip his balls off and chuck them as far as you can. We can't afford to keep losing money with this war going on between the Legion and the Reapers." Ichigo nodded and watched as his boss disappeared into the dark hallway, the air still filled with tension.

* * *

"What a day." Ichigo sighed out as he unlocked his locker in the employee room. He rummaged through his things and placed his cab keys onto a hook inside the locker. A mirror reflected his arm as he withdrew it. He stopped short of closing the locker and just stared long and hard at his face. Golden amber eyes glared back at him, as dull as ever.

"Look at yourself" sadness evident in his voice as he spoke out. He quenched his fist into a ball then released it at his side. He slammed his locker shut and tore his leather jacket from the rusted coat hanger and picked up his pitch black helmet from the shower bench. As he exited the building he grabbed his punch card and punch it in, set it back in its proper place then shut the door to the outside world. He turned and walked across the parking lot, chuckling at the sight of all the "piece of crap" cars in the lot.

"What the hell?" Ichigo walked up to his pitch black Suzuki GSX and stared down at the pink, heart-shaped sticky note stuck to one of the handlebars. Ichigo picked it up and read

"By the way, that $22.50 is coming out of your paycheck. Yours Truly- Yoruichi" Ichigo grimaced and crunched the note in his hands and threw it to the ground. He clipped his helmet on containing his orange mane and sat down onto the bike.

"Best fucking day ever" he groaned out, then sped off onto the abandoned highway.

* * *

The highway was peaceful at night and seemed to relieve Ichigo of his stress from work. The wind of the wastelands was relished as his own private music channel, wiping against his clothed form as he traveled down the never ending road, heading towards his destination. The towns on this planet where separated into 3 large cites. Each with its own highway's connecting the 3 together to form a triangle.

First was the highly populated military cite, which was located at the top of the triangle. It was where all the hospitals, scientists, and of course army bases; were located. If you got sick, or worse, your only chance of being healed was being granted into the militia army bases, which came at cost of being drafted and sent around the galaxy. There was always maximum security around the place and trespassers were instantly shot down.

The second cite was where he and all of the other "normal" people lived. The Suburban district, which consisted of a gigantic worn-down city of rusting metal, scrap metal cars and people as stubborn and cold as its walls residing within it. Himself included. Ichigo silently smirked underneath his helmet.

The third and final district was not to be spoken of. It was where all of the maniacs and psychopaths ended up that weren't thrown out into the wasteland to die. The smell of fresh blood was always present near it's wall's borders, helping rumors of torture and cruel experiments spread about the other two even stating that the scientist inside were turning the inmates into horrible beast. Ichigo gulped, closed his eyes then shook his head getting the horrid thought out of his mind.

All he knew was that if he wanted to remain alive, he would stay clear of that place.

* * *

His bike seemed to float along the paved road as he continued to speed on. Dirt and pitch blackness on either side of the road probably continuing on for miles with dust storms ripping through the terrain in the distance. Never was there any sort of fence or blockage keeping any human from entering the wasteland. Something he noticed when he first arrived in Karakura 3 years ago after his parents were shipped off to help the front lines seeing as they both were doctors. A sudden jerk below his GSX sent him flying off the bike and skidding across the ground ripping the skin from his palms right off.

"Shit!" Ichigo grunted out. He waited for the world to stop spinning around him and slowly, using his elbows to avoid further injury to his already bleeding hands, flipped over onto his back. His head throbbed in agony as he yanked off his dented helmet and threw it to his side. Thick, red blood began to drip from the side of his head.

"Great" he muttered under his breath then pushed off the dusty ground. Ichigo stumbled to his feet then patted off his torn jeans. He squinted trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness surrounding him then saw his black GSX sitting a few feet away, a couple feet from it some form of a sort. He walked over to the bike, praying it was still in working condition and thanked all that was mighty to see it only having a few scratches on the side it had landed. With his bike up and himself planted firmly on it he turned the key to restart the engine. The bike's light flickered on and revealed the "thing" that had originally sent him flying. Ichigo took a step back, unable to comprehend what he was looking at. Pale white skin, leather-like and bumpy covered the body of the creature. A large mouth evident with a single row of six sharp on both the top and bottom part of the jaw. Blood ozzed from what Ichigo assumed to be the creatures eyes and slowly started to form a red puddle. It's legs and arms where frog like, made for jumping great distances.

"What kind of creature is this?" He had heard that the wastelands inhabitited many unknown speices, but never had he actually ran into one, litterally. He returned to his bike, head still bleeding and hoped back on he took one last look at the dead monster, revved the engine making it purr, than sped off into the distance. As his form disappeared further into the horizon, his dented helmet remained on the dry cracking earth, the scent of fresh blood present around it along with the animals. A low rumble began underneath them both, then stopped suddenly. Six tenticle like tounge's shot out from underneath the ground ripping both down into the earth in an instant. A low growl erupted from beneath then disappered.

* * *

A loud sound rang throughout his apartment as his alarm clock rang next to his head. Ichigo groaned and slammed his pillow over his ringing skull, then ripped the covers off hismelf and stared at the noisey contraption. His glazed over golden eyes fixated on the annoying contraption as he read the time marked on it. 4:30 AM. It continued buzzing as he tried to press the snooze button, but it didn't stop.

"Fuck this"Ichigo grabbed the metal device and chucked it out the window shattering the glass in the process. Screeching tires came down from below, and horns from angry drivers blarred through the air. Awake and angry, Ichigo pushed himself out of bed and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He went over to the shower and turned the knob releasing warm wondeful water. He removed his shirt and sweats until he was in nothing but his boxers.

Slowly, he began removing the bandages he had applied the night before seeing how much damage the bike accident had done to his already battered body. His palms where completly raw, with slow streams of blood ozzing out. Ichigo grimaced as he made his way over to the shower. He stepped in slowy removing his boxers and letting his body and sex releish in the water's magical healing powers. Water dripped down his spine and over his tense muscles as Ichigo placed his head against the shower wall. He let his body relax, tried to ignore the terrible pain emitted from his blood red palms and closed his eyes. After showering and properly grooming his wild orange mane, Ichigo went to his medical supple cabinet and took out some clean bandages. He wrapped them around his palms covering the still raw and tender area then proceeded to do the same around his head. Luckly the injury was minor in that region, so he wouldn't have to worry about driving his taxi around later. After checking for any more un-seen injuries Ichigo brushed his teeth ,grabbed a stale pop-tart from his pantry and left the building. He pratically jumped the two flights of stairs in his apartment then aprroach his beloved vehicle. Ichigo hopped onto his bike and put on his leather jacket, zipped it shut then sped off towards his everyday hell.

* * *

"You're late." Yoruichi spat out, not looking up from her desk as Ichigo walked into the building, punching out his work card then setting it back into its shelf.

"Sorry, ruff morning at home." Ichigo spoke out flipping through his routine schedule. He lifted an eyebrow in interest then gazed back at Yoruichi, a smirk placed firmly on her face.

"You're sending me to the outskirts?" Yoruichi nodded and took a sip of her coffee, the smell filling Ichigo's nostrils and making his stomach wench in hunger. Maybe having just a pop-tart wasn't the best idea for a morning breakfeast...

She set her cup down and handed Ichigo his key. He gladly took it then sat down onto one of the extra chairs in the room.

"Don't disappoint me Kurosaki; I trust you will represent this company's good name." She stood up then pointed to a poster on the wall. A black cat sitting in the drivers seat of a yellow cab stared back. Ichigo felt his eye twitch.

"The Yoruichi International Transportation Cab Service, has worked long and hard to get our name up there with the big boys, gaining us popularity for public transportation. I need you to be the best you can be when you are here at work, always smiling as a passenger calls you over. We've worked to hard to become sluky and depressed now so get your head out of your ass and get out there!" Ichigo rolled his eyes and grabbed his jacket from his chair. Sometimes he wondered why he even took the stupid job.

"Yah, whatever."Yoruichi made a move to protest but as Ichigo made a grab for the door knob it slammed square flat into his face, knocking him down onto his rear with a yelp. A large man, equivalent to Ichigo's height, stepped through the door. His stunning red hair pulled back into a pony tail. Large black tribal like tattoos proudly exhibited upon his face.

"Yoruichi-san, I'm going on break now." He looked down at Ichigo and grinned.

"Yo! Ichigo, watch where you're going you lazy bastard!" Ichigo pushed off the floor throwing a punch aimed for the visitors face, missing miserably. A vein popped up from Ichigo's forehead, pulsating.

"You're the one who opened the door straight into my fucking face you moron!" The man's grin crumbled instantly and was replaced with a twisted smile.

"What is that supposed to mean Strawberry!" Ichigo instantly retorted

"You heard me Pineapple!" The two bickering idiots rammed heads and continued to stare each other down as Yoruichi smiled enjoying their little show. She wondered if she would have enough time to go make popcorn and return but saw the time and frowned. She casually walked up to the two bickering idiots then sents fists into both of their faces. They both stepped back looking up at her with glaring eyes protecting their noises from any more abuse.

"Listen up! She looked down at the visitor first.

"First of all, watch where your going Rengi! Check and make sure people aren't behind a door before you slam it open." Rengi silently nodded, Ichigo smirking in the background.

"And you!" Yoruichi's finger pointed straight at Ichigo.

"Stop acting like your on your fucking period and star acting like you love your job. Hell maybe if you can even do that you might find a woman, and lose your fucking virginity already." Ichigo blushed bright red as Yoruichi sat down into her chair, watching Ichigo's face turn strawberry red and Rengi barely able to control his laughter. Ichigo looked at Yoruichi for an instant then turned to face the red-haired individual.

"What do you want Rengi?" Ichigo spat out with a venomous tone. Rengi lifted his hands up in a surrendering display fighting back the last of his laughing fit and wiped tires from his eyes.

"What do I want?...Oh I meant to tell you that Chad was here looking for you earlier. Said something about a demonic ex-girlfriend of yours coming back to town " Ichigo's eyes widened. She followed him here too? His face paled and he sweat dropped.

"Thanks for the memo Abari" He quickly picked up his jacket then nodded at the two of them as a final goodbye. As he left the room he could feel their cold stares on his back.

Yoruichi watched him as he closed the door behind him. A clicking sound confirming he was gone.

"What an idiot" she mumbled then turned around to face the window again.

* * *

Ichigo walked to his cab and unlocked the door. He opened it, then sat down with a loud thump then buckled his seatbeat across his chest. He turned the key ignited the engine then pulled out of the parking-lot and onto the road.

* * *

Ichigo watched his surroundings change from a large worn down metal city into a more spread out section of cite 2

"What a strange place" He mumured before spotting his first outskirts customer. He came to a halt at the side of the road as he pulled up alongside a rather strange looking man with a cheap pair of sunglasses chipped on one side, but hell he was in a completly different part of Karakura that he had never driven in before so he easily dismissed it. As the man got into the back seat Ichigo got out of the car and lifted his suitcase off the ground, the sound of clinging objects bouncing against each other echoing from out of the case. He Lay the suitcase down gently, and then slammed the trunk door shut. As Ichigo got back into the driver's seat the stranger behind him shifted in their seat.

"And where can I take you today sir?" Ichigo asked with the slightest bit of agony in his voice.

"Take me to the Eastern gate, and step on it." Ichigo flinched. The eastern gate was the opening connected to cite three. Ichigo turned

around in his seat and caught the man's attention.

"Um, did you just say the eastern gate?" The man looked at Ichigo like he was retarded.

"What the hell do you think I just said? Yes the eastern gate and step on it!" Ichigo twisted back around and started the engine, dread and fear looming over him as he swiped his card and was granted permission onto the highway. As he sped down the road he past numerous rest stops with mini settlements scattered around them Ichigo began to remeber the incident from before with the dead creature he had hit. A sudden ringing sound rang from the front of his cab making him look down. His gas meter almost reading zero stared back. Ichigo sighed and pulled off onto a secondary road leading to a rest stop. He unbuckled his seat beat then turned to face the passenger. "Got to stop for gas, just give me a second to refuel." The passenger seemed hesitant at first but nodded in agreement.

"Just hurry it up will yah?" Ichigo ignored the petulant tone of the man's voice as he walked into the gas station to pay the clerk for the fuel. Ichigo handed the man a $20.00 and shoved his hands into his pockets waiting for the clerk to give him his change. He let his eyes glance about the store trying to waste time until they landed on a billboard with pictures of peoples' face's. Above them all was the word "Wanted."

"Figures there would be wanted criminals out here so close to cite three." He looked from picture to picture observing the details of each face. One caught his eye at an instant. A hooded figure with long silky raven colored hair just reaching past her shoulders. One stray bang lay between her dark and stunning violet orbs. Underneath the picture was her information which Ichigo began to read with interest.

"Name: Unknown. Date of Birth: Unknown. Risk of Danger: Unknown." Ichigo ran his hand through his hair confused trying to figure out how such a beautiful individual could have ended up on the wanted board. Even if it was just a rough sketch of a witnesses reports, she seemed almost godly like. Hearing the cashier call out his name Ichigo made a move to go retrieve his money when a second picture caught him off guard. The picture was off a man this time. Head shaved poorly with a pair of broken sunglasses chipped on the left side. Ichigo read his information as well.

"Name: Nathan Ochs. Date of Birth: 8/13/2539. Wanted for attempted murder and robbery." Ichigo whistled then walked over to the clerk. As he was giving back his money, Ichigo began to feel a tightening feeling in his gut. Somethinf seemed wrong. No. Something was wrong. Ichigo swallowed his curiousness and thanked the clerk. Why did that face on the poster look so familar? Ichigo puzzled over it in his head for a few more seconds, went back to his car with his increasingly annoyed passenger.

"Sorry that took so long I was just browsing the s-store a b-bit. Ichigo's eyes widened in shock. It had finally hit him. Sitting in the back of his cab was none other than Nathan Ochs.

"Che-" A gun was instantly lifted to Ichigo's head and jammed in between his eyes.

"Don't say another word or I swear to God I will blow your brains out all over this bloody fucking car!" Ichigo stiffened and remained silent. The criminal used his free hand to point

"Take that dirt path there and don't scream for help." Ichigo turned around and obeyed, driving as carefully and non-suspiciously as he could, trying desperately to remain calm. They drove past small settlements with hyper children running about, dogs chasing them playfully. Oh how Ichigo wished he could switch places with the child, but continued driving on. The sun began to set and Ichigo knew it would pitch black in about an hour, his chances of escape slowly disappering. After what seemed like forever, a large city, unfamiliar to Ichigo came into view. It's lights pierced through the black dusty sky, blazing like fire in all directions.

"Keep heading straight." The criminal commanded, while pressing his gun into the back of Ichigo's neck. He obliged with no protest. The began to get paranoude and looked over his shoulder a few times before turning back to face Ichigo.

"Stop the car here." Ichigo obeyed and stood as still as a rock, as the gunman shifted out of his seat opening the taxi's door and slamming it shut then opening the trunk to remove his precious suitcase. Ichigo estimated the large city to still be at least 5 miles away but knew why the criminal had stopped him here where no one could hear a gun shot fired and discover a dead orange haired individual. With the gun still cocked at his head, Ichigo watched in horror as the time had finally come.

"Thanks for the ride you orange headed freak." Ichigo mentally cursed inside wishing he could beat this punk's face in until it was an un-recognizable bloody mess. A sudden noise from the side of the car shook them and caused them both to snap their heads in its direction, but nothing was there, besides the endless dry wasteland.

"WHOS THERE!" Nathan shouted before looking over the side of the car, his eyes shot wide open a second to late. A loud, powerful explosion detonated from behind and infront of the car, shattering the glass into Ichigo's face and sending the gunman flying into the hard ground, his gun sliding a good length away from him. Ichigo's ears began ringing. He yelped out in agony as a shock wave from the explosion rammed him back into his drivers seat, if that hadn't deafened him then hell he was fucking sure that he at least had some kind of hearing damage. He tumbled out of his car gripping his throbbing head. He could already feel the warm liquid flowing down his cheek and shoulder. He hesitantly looked down at his chest staring in horror at the large piece of glass sticking out of his shoudler

"FUCK!" Ichigo yelled out as he slowly moved his hand over the the fragment lodged into him. He gripped it with both his hands, bit his lip then ripped it out. Pain shook his body as more of his thick, rich, crimson blood splattered onto the ground. He yanked off his jacket and pressed it down roughly onto the bleeding wound trying to apply pressure to the area. The world was spinning in circles around him, his head ringing in agony, his open chest wound streaming out pools of blood. His vision began to get foggy as he forced himself off his sweat soaked stomach and onto his knees, using one of his hands to support himself facing the cracked earth beneath him. A loud and painful scream pierced through the sky as the gunman held up the remains of his right hand. Nothing more than a bloody stub now, gushing blood everywhere as he tightened his grip around his wound. He jerked around and screamed into dark wasteland.

"I KNOW YOUR OUT THERE YOU FUCKING BITCH! STOP HIDING AND FACE ME!" Ichigo stared at Nathan with confusion. Who the hell was he talking to? Ichigo suddenly heard a shuffling noise behind him and turn to see what it was. Two massive clawed feet charged past him, straight towards Nathan . Nathan turned his head in time to see the creature charging at him it turned sharply and smacked it's tail across his chest sending him skidding across the rocky earth like a pebble across the water. Nathan struggled to his feet struggling to breath as his ribs stung with agony, knowing already at least three of them were broken. He turned and spotted his gun, jumped up then made a wild dash towards it passing by Ichigo in the process. It was then Ichigo saw another dark figure run past him with great agility in pursuit of the screaming gunman. He reached out for his gun, a wild grin on his face then saw a silver blur rush past him. To his horror, he found a knife lodge straight through his hand into the ground where the gun had once been.

"GAHHHHH!" Nathan screamed once more in agony, then biting back his tires ripped the knife straight out of his hand. He ignored the pain, and through the knife onto the ground and grabbed his gun.

"Take this bitch!"He shouted then shot straight in front of him in different directions several times. Ichigo watched in horror as one of the bullets hit its mark. Blood splattered out of the dark figure's form and he swore he heard them try to hold in a grunt and watched as they fell to their knees. The gunman looked around holding his dismembered arm in his other injured hand, blood still spraying out like a waterfall. He strained his eyes trying to see through the black darkness of the night and saw a small dark puddle in the distance. A wild, twisted grin appeared on his face. He lifted the gun towards the puddle and put his finger on the trigger.

"This is the end." Nathan spoke out loudly. Ichigo knew it was now or never. He forced his aching body to it's legs and charged into the gunman's side at full force as the sound of a gunshot went off, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Ichigo rolled onto his side, frantically breathing in air to fill his lungs. Waves of pain rocked through his body particularly from his right shoulder. Blood spraying out of his shoulder, staining his gray T-Shirt. The gunman, barely able to move on his own winced in pain a few feet away from him.

"No. No! NO!" Nathan began.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." He reached toward his suitcase in desperation as a boot came down hard onot his outstreched hand.

"NOOOO! I WON'T DIE HERE! NOT BY THE LIKES OF YOU!", another gun-shot sounded, followed by a deathly silence. Ichigo's fear intensified ten-fold as he heard foot steps heading in his direction. He waited helplessly for Nathan's horrible demise, soon to become his own. His eyes shot open as a figure appeared beside his battered and bloody body looming over him in silence. Ichigo shook his head in terror.

"No please! I didn't do anything!" . His vision began to become foggy again as a the dark figure looming over him remained still. Ichigo's Brown orbs slowly closed as he saw the figure pull down their hood. He felt somebody grab his shoes and begin to drag him into the dark, dusty wasteland.

* * *

**There! All fixed and edited. Also to those who did not read the Author's Note above this story takes place in the year of 2577, so its based in the future.**

**So? How was that? I tried really hard in making this a suspenseful cliffhanger. I'm sure a lot of you have already guessed who that hooded figure was, but I WON'T TELL!...Anyways please tell me what you think and if I should continue writing this story in a review. I really enjoy them and they get my spirits up and inspire me to write more chapters quicker than usual. I hope you have all enjoyed what you've read so far and don't worry. More bleach characters are about to come into play. Until next time, best wishes to all of you.**

**~ Pronzo**


	2. A New Start

**AN: soooo…it's been how long? 3 months since I updated? Sorry I'm working/studying for the ACT with some friends and I guess I've not had time to write. Enjoy and REVIEW PLEASE! If you have suggestions for this story leave them in a review and I will take a look at them and reply to you A.S.A.P **

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"Where am I?"…..

Ichigo felt his body lifted then dropped onto a cold, metal surface; banging his head into a pitch black world.

* * *

He felt leather embraces as they were being wrapped around his arms and legs. Then the quick sting of a needle in his vein, injecting who knows what into his blood stream, causing him to black out again. He felt someone touching his bare skin as itchy material was wrapped around his chest and right arm. It stung for a bit but felt refreshed compared to how it had been.

* * *

Ichigo moved his head to the side, trying to ignore the immense throbbing it was emitting. His brow scrunched together as he slowly began to open up his eyes. He could hear footsteps walking back and forth around him, and a radio on in the background. Letting his eyes adjust, he squinted up at the ceiling of a tent. He took in a breath of air, seconds later wishing he hadn't as a sharp pain racked through his body from his upper arm.

"It hurts" he mumbled, as his arms and legs began to struggle against the leather. Realizing it was futile; he relaxed his body and decided to take in his environment. He noticed a new pair of bandages wrapped around his chest and his head, explaining the itchy material he had felt earlier. To his left was a small metal shelf with bloody bandages and what looked like to be a bullet covered in blood, beside it a lethal looking piece of glass.

His eyes shot open instantly. It suddenly came back to him. The car, Nathan, the explosion sending chunks of glass everywhere, Nathan's missing hand and ear piercing screaming, and… Ichigo began to struggle against his restraints once more. A machine in the background began to beep loudly as his heart began pounding in his chest. A crash erupted from somewhere near his room, as the folds to his tent were ripped open. He tried to move his head to the side to see the stranger but he barely had any energy let from struggling.

"Shit, I thought he would be under its effects longer…" The voice belonged to a female, as he heard her rummage through some things. Suddenly said stranger leaned over him and shone a flashlight into his eyes blinding him from her features.

"Eye sight seems to be fine, and from the looks of your struggling I'm guessing your motor skills are fine as well." She clicked off the flash light and once again left his side. He heard the sound of a wheeled chair being moved then the soft thud of her ass sitting down, releasing a contented sigh soon after. Ichigo looked in her general direction, still blinded by the flashlight, until his vision returned.

There in the seat was said female. She wore an old worn-out leather trench coat with a black shirt underneath. A belt full of lethal looking knives was present around her waist and what looked like to be some sort of pistol hung from its pure black holster. A pair of worn out dark blue jeans, and armies boots beneath her waist. One of the sleeves to the coat was raised up exposing pale flesh, with a bandage wrapped firmly around what he assumed to be an injury. He could still see evidence of blood leaking from the wound. And finally, what got his attention the most was the dark brown gas mask present on her face.

Ichigo's curiosity began to peak.

* * *

"Where am I?" She jerked as demanding words came from the operation table. Ichigo watched as she relaxed then straightened up her features.

"Somewhere due east of this god-forsaken wasteland" she said semi-humorlessly. Her voice was raspy; probably due to the respiratory mask. Ichigo's head still seemed to be foggy from whatever this female injected into his arm.

"How long have I been out of it?" She didn't move from her spot

"About a week or so, I actually thought you weren't gonna make it with all that blood pouring out of your chest. Guess you got lucky punk." She lifted her finger up in the air and continued.

"Anyways, it doesn't really matter now; everyone probably thinks you're dead, which if I may say is a major improvement from your "Wonderful" life." Ichigo's eyes widened.

"Everybody thinks I'm dead? What are you talking about? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" She tensed and put her palms in front of her defensively.

"Don't start freaking out on me now Strawberry; it's not my fault that you got dragged into this."

Ichigo laid his head back on the table.

"You still haven't answered my questions." He said sternly. He heard her chuckle behind her mask before she got up and once again leaned over him. She grabbed him by the collar to make sure she had his full attention.

"Listen punk, you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is not my fault, this mission was supposed to be an easy kill and sweep, but you made things complicated." Her grip tightened. Before she continued

"And let's get things straight first, I'll be the one asking questions, not you. I could easily kill you here, cut open your stomach and feed your insides to my pet if I wanted to, but lucky for you I'm in a good mode today, ignoring the fact that there is a bullet wound in my arm because of you." Ichigo froze.

"You're from before! You're the one who set up the explosions on the car!" She laughed then released his collar.

"You don't miss anything, do you kid?" She undid the buckles to the leather restraints releasing him from their grasp. She stepped back allowing him to slowly rise up into a sitting position, shifting so his legs hung from the table, his eyes on her the entire time. They stared at each other in silence till he broke it.

"Why did you save me?" The question seemed to catch her off guard, as she searched for an answer.

"I may be a criminal, but I never leave a favor left unpaid." He lifted an eyebrow in surprise to her response.

"A favor left unpaid? What are you talking about; I didn't do you any favors." He watched her cross her arms at her chest.

"You took a bullet in the shoulder from Nathan's gun, to keep it from hitting me, pretty stupid, but much appreciated." Ichigo's arm throbbed in response.

"Oh yah…" She laughed through her mask again then picked up a package from the floor.

"Here, you'll need this for later. Come outside the tent when you're done, and I'll answer all the questions that your little heart desires then." With that she pivoted on her heel and left him alone in an awkward silence.

* * *

He ran his hand through his dirty orange mane, trying to grasp everything that had happened. He jumped off the table and set the box down. He lifted up the folds and lifted his eyebrows in surprise. Inside the box was pair of dark blue jeans, an old black leather jacket that surprisingly was his size, a pair of army boots and… his very own respiratory mask.

Ichigo picked up the mask and slowly ran his fingers down its surface. On the side of its surface, a large 77 was painted in a crimson red. He pulled off his shirt and began getting dressed. Finally all that was left was the gas mask. Ichigo gripped the straps as he pulled it over his face. A perfect fit. He adjusted the tightness of the mask then wrapped his palms in new bandages, still tender from his bike accident. He took a step back a looked at his figure from a mirror on the wall, then stepped outside to join his "Companion".

As he entered the next room, he saw her on the floor putting food into a pot of boiling water. Sensing his presence, she lifted her head, studying him up and down and whistled.

"Looks good on yah, but don't get to full of yourself." Ichigo ignored her comment and sat down across from her on an old mat. In between them, a fire was blazing with a large pot in the center. Vegetables and chunks of meat marinated inside. Ichigo felt his stomach grumble. The female noticed and leaned back against the tent's wall.

"Don't get too excited, it won't be ready for awhile." Ichigo shifted trying to find a comfortable position.

"You said that you would answer my questions to my heart desire, now start talking." Ichigo flinched at the sound of his own voice behind the mask. She nodded waiting for him to continue.

"First question, what's your name?" She shook her head with a sigh.

"Curious are we, well I guess you deserve that much." She sat up straight and slightly bowed her head.

"My name is Rukia, I'm 21 years old and I work for the Reapers of the waste." Ichigo stopped breathing for a few seconds. The Reapers were known for terrible crimes across the wasteland, most of them involving horrible murders of well-known criminals, usually involving de-capitations or innocent families from around the entire wasteland being slaughtered for their treasures. Rukia looked at him with a serious expression. She silently waited for his response, watching his every move from behind her mask.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." Rukia looked at him with a blank expression, obviously confused.

"It's my name, Ichigo Kurosaki from District 2 age-"

"I already know plenty about you Kurosaki." She interrupted.

"I'm part of a large criminal organization, so it would only be natural for me to learn your history and background before I would give any private info away." Ichigo was impressed.

A sudden growling noise erupted from behind him. He froze staring at Rukia for help. She began laughing as she lifted up the pot. A large form jumped over Ichigo, sweeping over his hair, and then landing with a thud in front of him.

"SHIT!" He screamed as he jumped backwards. Rukia continued to laugh at him as she poured out some of the soup into a food dish on the ground. There beside her stood some sort of creature. Rough crimson plates and scales covered its spine and back. It had the head of what looked like to be a small wyvern with a black beak like tip at the end. Its eyes where a stunning cat-like green color and two curved horns came out from either side of its cheeks; a harness attached to the horns, like that of a horse. It was about the size of a horse, with the body similar to that of a kangaroo. Its powerful hind legs exhibited 3 large dull talons, made for running rather than killing. Its arms were short but muscles were defiantly present on them. But what Ichigo seem to notice the most was the club like tail with three large black spikes on the tip. This was the same monster that smashed Nathan's lungs in.

"What…what is that thing?" Ichigo asked standing back up slowly, careful not to startle it. Rukia pet the side of the animal's neck as it ate then leaned against it with her arms.

"This here Kurosaki is a sand skidder. One of the many well-known animals of the wastelands, but of course you wouldn't know that" The sand skidder licked up the last of its meal then shoved its head underneath Rukia's hand, basically begging for her to pet it. Ichigo walked up to it and put a shaky hand out. The sand skidder did the same to his hand and rubbed its scaly head against his chest. Ichigo froze for a instant then proceeded to rub the sand skidders neck.

"That's strange, usually when someone new tries to pet him, he tries ripping off their arm." Ichigo stopped and stared at Rukia with a horrified expression.

"I'm kidding…dang Kurosaki, get a sense of humor would yah?" Rukia grabbed two bowls and passed one over to him, then filled it up with the delicious smelling soup. She set her bowl done and reached behind her head, unclasping the buckles to her mask and slowly pulling it off. Dark raven locks of hair flowed dropped down to her shoulders, a single large strand, dangling down past her forehead.

"Finally, it was getting a bit stuffy in that blasted thing." Rukia set down her mask and looked up at him with a slight smirk. Her face was stunning. Deep violet orbs stared back at him, only being complimented by her moon-light pale skin. How could someone be so pale, when they basically lived in a never ending desert? Ichigo could've sworn he was drooling. He pushed away his stubborn hormones and followed suit.

"This is delicious." Ichigo said in between mouthfuls. Rukia looked back at him surprisingly.

"Really? My friends always tell me that it tastes like cat-shit, but then again I wonder when and where they have tasted cat-shit." Ichigo let a laugh out at her humor, herself included.

After they finished Rukia slipped her mask back on and put the supplies back into the storage tent. Ichigo re-buckled his mask on then walked up besides her

"Now what?" Rukia took a moment to think about her answer then responded.

"Well I can't leave you out in the wasteland alone, you'll die for sure. I guess I'll have to take you back to base camp, which I would prefer not to do." Ichigo lifted an eyebrow in curiosity.

"And why not?" Rukia responded instantly with an almost bitter tone

"Because back at base camp they don't like teenage punks running around amuck and causing unneeded trouble, you're already a handful as much as it is." Ichigo sensed that there was something else that she wasn't telling him, but decided against pursuing the answer.

"Well, I guess I could go back to District 2" Rukia turned around to stare at him and crossed her arms infront of her chest.

"Not an option Kurosaki, the wasteland military has probably already found your vehicle and Nathan's body. There was enough blood on that scene, including yours that they probably think a worm got you." Ichigo looked at her puzzled.

"A worm?" Rukia shook her head and jumped onto the sand skidder's saddle.

"I'll explain later, let's get out of here before the Legion realizes I broke into one of their supply tents." She extended her hand out towards Ichigo with a serious look.

"You got two options Kurosaki. Either you come with me and leave your old life behind, or I leave you out here for the buzzards, or worse the worms." Ichigo didn't need time to think as he reached out and grabbed Rukia's hand. She helped him up onto the saddle then showed him where to place his feet and hands.

"Well we better get going then." He spoke out with what Rukia could only describe as a grin behind his mask.

"Excellent choice." She grabbed the reins attached to the sand skidders horns and whipped them down once.

"YAH" she screamed and the sand skidder shot off into the dry wasteland morning.

* * *

"This is all that remains of the Taxi Mrs. Yoruichi. The driver is nowhere to be seen and some of the blood at the scene of the crime has been conformed as his. The passenger however has been found and declared dead. He is missing one of his hand due to what we think was a powerful explosion, and there is a bullet wound right between his eyes, which ended his life. The bullet we extracted from his skull is not recognizable, so we do not know what type of gun it came from." Yoruichi nodded then looked at the wasteland officer

"Is there anything else that I should know about this besides that my employee is M.I.A?" The officer nodded and took out a picture of the passenger's face.

"The passenger happened to be a Criminal called Nathan Ochs." Yoruichi lifted an eyebrow in response, and then shook her head.

"Ok, thank you that will be all." The waste land officer nodded then left the room without another word. Yoruichi turned around in her chair and yanked open her desk's top drawer. She rummaged through some stuff until she pulled out a piece of paper with a phone number printed in red ink.

* * *

**AN:**

**I'm only stopping there because its 12:12 Am here and I need to rest for school in 5 hours. I will update when I can, and PLEASE. PLEASE REVIEW. It helps so much.**

**Until then best regards and wishes**

**~Pronzo**


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